The Resistance Women

This novel heart wrenching novel is based on real people and events, offering something to many readers.

This was my first time experiencing  a book by Jennifer Chiaverini and I’m hooked! I love historical fiction, and I was completely blown away by the true story of the brave women- A professor, an aspiring author, and a student- who helped commit espionage against Hitler during WWII.

Roughly 1/2 of "The Red Orchestra" Resistance members were women.  Chiaverini shows the familiar struggle of women to be heard and taken seriously who nonetheless take on responsibilities that put their own safety in jeopardy. Some did so because the totalitarian government directly threatened their families. Some did so because it affected the country they loved. Some did so because they believed it was the right thing to do, even if it would have been easier to just leave.

While this book is a chunker (which I love...I mean who doesn’t want a great read to last longer!?!), I loved the true historic events taking place, and fell in love with the characters. Mildred, an American who befriends the women who will play such an important role in fighting injustice, Martha Dodd, the daughter of US ambassador, and German friends, author Greta Kuckoff and Sara Weitz.

This was a fascinating look at this time and place, how things changed at a pace that had most of the population turn a blind eye to the changes...a little here...a little there... until it was too late. At this point evil triumphed for an extended period of time. The focus of this story, however isn’t on the war or the concentration camps. Instead it is a story about a group of women who put their lives on the line to end the spread of evil.

We all know learning how to do new things can be daunting. Imagine having to learn several new things all at once, in the midst of a constantly changing environment where rules were rearranged daily and bombs dropped nightly. These women didn't stop to ponder "what if I can't do it? What if I fail?" because the simple answer was that if they failed, they died.

I was amazed at the research that went into this novel to accurately depict these events. Never before have I read a book from this perspectives that was set during WWII.

Chiaverini memorializes the courage and sacrifice of doing what is "morally right" rather than what is "politically right".

The reason we learn history is to hopefully learn FROM it- to not make the same mistakes. With that, I leave you with Arvid's own words: "“Perhaps Germany will serve as a warning. May they learn from us to snuff out fascism in America when the first sparks arise and not delay until democracy goes up in flames all around them.”

Personally, I have a soft spot when it comes to WWII historical fiction, and I truly enjoyed this book!  Definitely a 5 star read!